Favorite Organization Tips for SLPs: Frenzied SLP Linky

This subject is right up my alley: a couple of my SLP coworkers rib me a lot about being organized! I don't write on my students' work folders; I use labels so they'll look nicer. (Okay, maybe I should change "organized" to "OCD"!) My husband has a hard time believing it...I'm not so organized at home.

1. Organizing TpT Materials:
 At first, I put everything in binders. When I started spending money on binders that never held enough, I knew there had to be another way. I read that someone (sorry, I don't remember who!) put their materials in gallon zip-lock bags. Perfect! I will put print-outs in sheet protectors, then group the product together into a bag. I have a cabinet at school with bins for each month, as well as seasons. I put the materials in the bins, and all I have to do is pull one out and choose what I'm going to do for that week/month. Easy as pie!

2. Organizing IEP Meetings:
 I don't have a fancy planner. Personally, I don't want 1 more thing to have to carry around. Google Calendar is your friend. Believe me! I have my school & personal calendars linked on my phone, so (as long as it's on my calendar) I'm up to speed on everything. My husband & I share our personal calendars with each other so we know what our schedules are. 
At the beginning of the school year, I look through the list of when my students' IEPs & 3-years are due. Then, I look 1 month before that and pencil in a tentative date/time on my paper calendar. (It's a very simple monthly calendar.) I write a note to send Johnny's Invitation to the parent 2 weeks before the tentatively scheduled meeting. That way, I'm not worrying about a 10-day notice (because the parents have a 14 day notice), and if something should happen, I have a month before I'm out of compliance. 
At the beginning of the prior month, I look through the next month's tentative schedule and email an invitation to the teacher & the principal. (For example, I just sent February's meetings out.) We've switched to gmail, so I put the meeting on the calendar and invite them. 

3. Organizing my planned activities:
   I used to plan by the month and write down the activities on a calendar. Now, I pull out my bin (see picture in #1), pull out materials for the month, and put them in a basket on a table in my room. I guess I should let you know that I tag the materials I use with a little sticky note & the year so I don't use the same ones every year. (I just started doing that last year, and it's helped a lot!) I love using books in therapy, and I've started rotating the books from year to year so I don't have to hear, "We read that book last year" from my students. Hopefully, the artic kids will have graduated before the same books are read!

For more tips on organizing, click on a link below! Don't forget to visit and like  The Frenzied SLPs on Facebook!


10 comments:

  1. We may be long lost sisters! Pretty much follow your organization spot on. Zippered bags, page protectors, bins in cabinets, books alternated per year, bin for therapy! I learned this one additional tip from a retired SLP. Label things odd or even and then you know which year to use them!

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  2. I love these tips! Your bins look so neat and user-friendly! Thanks for sharing!

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  3. I use a bin, too! It's right there to grab in case I need a little extra work for a student! Super ideas!

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  4. The bins are not only efficient and clever, but the colors are eye candy! Love that idea of grabbing a bin and keeping it out for the month. Thanks for the tips!!

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  5. You ARE organized! I use gallon zip-loc bags and bins, too. I tote my totes back and forth from home by season; they are HUGE and full!

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  6. I'm with you on the Google calendar! I used to carry a paper calendar everywhere I went, but they got lost a lot in my travels. (Told you I wasn't truly organized!) Having the calendar on my computer and in my phone is awesome. It gives me a heads up with reminders too. perfect! I think I may have to try your monthly bins... love it.

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  7. I am all about my digital calendar. I rely on the reminders function to keep me on time and I adore the travel time feature when setting appointments. I talked about both of these things in my link up post. Check them out at sweetspeech.org. I also work with a bin system. Thanks so much for sharing your ideas!

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  8. I'm impressed Old School- you've got me wanting to go Google Calendar. I'm using my mommy calendar on the refrigerator and an old fashioned school planner.

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  9. I love your ideas! I had not thought of grouping materials by the month. I like the organization for IEP meetings. I am going to try this today.

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  10. I have started using the gallon ziplock bags to store materials, too! I love that I can grab and go and easy cleanup to put away.

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